Fit to an NFT

The National Film Theatre’s annual Crime Scene Festival makes its return to the South Bank, and for whatever reason, the literary content has dropped considerably since the time I went. But no matter, as there’s still lots of good stuff like:

• Anthony Horowitz in conversation with Charlie Higson about writing thrillers for teenage boys
• Maxim “I’m the Literary Director and I’ll tell you this every time I introduce a panel” Jakubowski in conversation with Ian Rankin
• Spy thrillers post-⁹⁄₁₁ with Robert Littell, Henry Porter and John Lawton
• Film noir with Max Allan Collins, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Simon Kernick, Stephen Leather & Nicholas Royle

The film portion is of higher star wattage:

• Quentin Tarantino talking about directing the final episode of CSI
• Mark Billingham, Martyn Waites and Kim Newman talking with Michael Carlson about Dashiell Hammett & THE MALTESE FALCON’s 75th anniversary
• John Harvey & Teddy Hayes dissecting the work and life of Robert Mitchum
• and lots and lots and lots about Donald Westlake, his work, his screenplays and the new French/Spain coproduction based on his novel THE AX

And no doubt in a few days’ time we’ll be seeing pictorial coverage by intrepid photog Mary Reagan, who’ll be covering Crime Scene for Crime Spree.

UPDATE, ⁶⁄₃₀: Ayo Onatade has informed me that Quentin Tarantino has dropped out of Crime Scene, which will no doubt disappoint all those who bought enough tickets to sell out his appearance.